[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4224 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 625
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4224
[Report No. 116-322]
To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to assess technology
needs along the Southern border and develop a strategy for bridging
such gaps.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 20, 2020
Ms. Sinema (for herself, Mr. Cornyn, and Mr. Lankford) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
December 14, 2020
Reported by Mr. Johnson, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to assess technology
needs along the Southern border and develop a strategy for bridging
such gaps.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Southwest Border Security
Technology Improvement Act of 2020''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> In this Act:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The
term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the Committee on Homeland Security of
the House of Representatives.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the
Department of Homeland Security.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the
Secretary of Homeland Security.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) Southwest border.--The term ``Southwest
border'' means the international land border between the United
States and Mexico, including the ports of entry along such
border.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. SOUTHERN BORDER TECHNOLOGY NEEDS ANALYSIS AND
UPDATES.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Technology Needs Analysis.--Not later than 1 year
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
submit, to the appropriate congressional committees, a technology needs
analysis for border security technology along the Southwest
border.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Contents.--The analysis required under subsection (a)
shall include an assessment of--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the technology needs and gaps along the
Southwest border--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) to prevent terrorists and instruments
of terror from entering the United States;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) to combat and reduce cross-border
criminal activity, including, but not limited to--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (i) the transport of illegal
goods, such as illicit drugs; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (ii) human smuggling and human
trafficking; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) to facilitate the flow of legal trade
across the Southwest border;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) recent technological advancements in--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) manned aircraft sensor, communication,
and common operating picture technology;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) unmanned aerial systems and related
technology, including counter-unmanned aerial system
technology;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) surveillance technology, including--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (i) mobile surveillance
vehicles;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (ii) associated electronics,
including cameras, sensor technology, and
radar;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (iii) tower-based surveillance
technology;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (iv) advanced unattended
surveillance sensors; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (v) deployable, lighter-than-air,
ground surveillance equipment;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) nonintrusive inspection technology,
including non-X-ray devices utilizing muon tomography
and other advanced detection technology;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) tunnel detection technology;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (F) communications equipment, including--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (i) radios;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (ii) long-term evolution
broadband; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (iii) miniature
satellites;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) any other technological advancements that the
Secretary determines to be critical to the Department's mission
along the Southwest border;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) whether the use of the technological advances
described in paragraphs (2) and (3) will--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) improve border security;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) improve the capability of the
Department to accomplish its mission along the
Southwest border;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) reduce technology gaps along the
Southwest border; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) enhance the safety of any officer or
agent of the Department or any other Federal
agency;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) the Department's ongoing border security
technology development efforts, including efforts by--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) U.S. Customs and Border
Protection;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the Science and Technology
Directorate; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) the technology assessment office of
any other operational component;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) the technology needs for improving border
security, such as--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) information technology or other
computer or computing systems data capture;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) biometrics;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) cloud storage; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) intelligence data sharing capabilities
among agencies within the Department;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) any other technological needs or factors,
including border security infrastructure, such as physical
barriers or dual-purpose infrastructure, that the Secretary
determines should be considered; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (8) currently deployed technology or new
technology that would improve the Department's ability--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) to reasonably achieve operational
control and situational awareness along the Southwest
border; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) to collect metrics for securing the
border at and between ports of entry, as required under
subsections (b) and (c) of section 1092 of division A
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2017 (6 U.S.C. 223).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Updates.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the
submission of the analysis required under subsection (a), and
annually for the following 4 years, the Secretary shall submit
an update to such analysis to the appropriate congressional
committees.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Contents.--Each update required under
paragraph (1) shall include a plan for utilizing the resources
of the Department to meet the border security technology needs
and gaps identified pursuant to subsection (b), including
developing or acquiring technologies not currently in use by
the Department that would allow the Department to bridge
existing border technology gaps along the Southwest
border.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (d) Items to Be Considered.--In compiling the technology
needs analysis and updates required under this section, the Secretary
shall consider and examine--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) technology that is deployed and is sufficient
for the Department's use along the Southwest border;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) technology that is deployed, but is
insufficient for the Department's use along the Southwest
border; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) technology that is not deployed, but is
necessary for the Department's use along the Southwest
border;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) current formal departmental requirements
documentation examining current border security threats and
challenges faced by any component of the Department;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) trends and forecasts regarding migration
across the Southwest border;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) the impact on projected staffing and
deployment needs for the Department, including staffing needs
that may be fulfilled through the use of technology;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) the needs and challenges faced by employees of
the Department who are deployed along the Southwest
border;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (8) the need to improve cooperation among Federal,
State, tribal, local, and Mexican law enforcement entities to
enhance security along the Southwest border;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (9) the privacy implications of existing
technology and the acquisition and deployment of new
technologies and supporting infrastructure, with an emphasis on
how privacy risks might be mitigated through the use of
technology, training, and policy;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (10) the impact of any ongoing public health
emergency that impacts the Southwest border; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (11) the ability of, and the needs for, the
Department to assist with search and rescue efforts for
individuals or groups that may be in physical danger or in need
of medical assistance.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (e) Classified Form.--To the extent possible, the
Secretary shall submit the technology needs analysis and updates
required under this section in unclassified form, but may submit such
documents, or portions of such documents, in classified form if the
Secretary determines that such action is appropriate.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Southwest Border Security Technology
Improvement Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House
of Representatives.
(2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the
Department of Homeland Security.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Homeland Security.
(4) Southwest border.--The term ``Southwest border'' means
the international land border between the United States and
Mexico, including the ports of entry along such border.
SEC. 3. SOUTHERN BORDER TECHNOLOGY NEEDS ANALYSIS AND UPDATES.
(a) Technology Needs Analysis.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit, to the
appropriate congressional committees, a technology needs analysis for
border security technology along the Southwest border.
(b) Contents.--The analysis required under subsection (a) shall
include an assessment of--
(1) the technology needs and gaps along the Southwest
border--
(A) to prevent terrorists and instruments of terror
from entering the United States;
(B) to combat and reduce cross-border criminal
activity, including, but not limited to--
(i) the transport of illegal goods, such as
illicit drugs; and
(ii) human smuggling and human trafficking;
and
(C) to facilitate the flow of legal trade across
the Southwest border;
(2) recent technological advancements in--
(A) manned aircraft sensor, communication, and
common operating picture technology;
(B) unmanned aerial systems and related technology,
including counter-unmanned aerial system technology;
(C) surveillance technology, including--
(i) mobile surveillance vehicles;
(ii) associated electronics, including
cameras, sensor technology, and radar;
(iii) tower-based surveillance technology;
(iv) advanced unattended surveillance
sensors; and
(v) deployable, lighter-than-air, ground
surveillance equipment;
(D) nonintrusive inspection technology, including
non-X-ray devices utilizing muon tomography and other
advanced detection technology;
(E) tunnel detection technology; and
(F) communications equipment, including--
(i) radios;
(ii) long-term evolution broadband; and
(iii) miniature satellites;
(3) any other technological advancements that the Secretary
determines to be critical to the Department's mission along the
Southwest border;
(4) whether the use of the technological advances described
in paragraphs (2) and (3) will--
(A) improve border security;
(B) improve the capability of the Department to
accomplish its mission along the Southwest border;
(C) reduce technology gaps along the Southwest
border; and
(D) enhance the safety of any officer or agent of
the Department or any other Federal agency;
(5) the Department's ongoing border security technology
development efforts, including efforts by--
(A) U.S. Customs and Border Protection;
(B) the Science and Technology Directorate; and
(C) the technology assessment office of any other
operational component;
(6) the technology needs for improving border security,
such as--
(A) information technology or other computer or
computing systems data capture;
(B) biometrics;
(C) cloud storage; and
(D) intelligence data sharing capabilities among
agencies within the Department;
(7) any other technological needs or factors, including
border security infrastructure, such as physical barriers or
dual-purpose infrastructure, that the Secretary determines
should be considered; and
(8) currently deployed technology or new technology that
would improve the Department's ability--
(A) to reasonably achieve operational control and
situational awareness along the Southwest border; and
(B) to collect metrics for securing the border at
and between ports of entry, as required under
subsections (b) and (c) of section 1092 of division A
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2017 (6 U.S.C. 223).
(c) Updates.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the
submission of the analysis required under subsection (a), and
biannually thereafter for the following 4 years, the Secretary
shall submit an update to such analysis to the appropriate
congressional committees.
(2) Contents.--Each update required under paragraph (1)
shall include a plan for utilizing the resources of the
Department to meet the border security technology needs and
gaps identified pursuant to subsection (b), including
developing or acquiring technologies not currently in use by
the Department that would allow the Department to bridge
existing border technology gaps along the Southwest border.
(d) Items to Be Considered.--In compiling the technology needs
analysis and updates required under this section, the Secretary shall
consider and examine--
(1) technology that is deployed and is sufficient for the
Department's use along the Southwest border;
(2) technology that is deployed, but is insufficient for
the Department's use along the Southwest border; and
(3) technology that is not deployed, but is necessary for
the Department's use along the Southwest border;
(4) current formal departmental requirements documentation
examining current border security threats and challenges faced
by any component of the Department;
(5) trends and forecasts regarding migration across the
Southwest border;
(6) the impact on projected staffing and deployment needs
for the Department, including staffing needs that may be
fulfilled through the use of technology;
(7) the needs and challenges faced by employees of the
Department who are deployed along the Southwest border;
(8) the need to improve cooperation among Federal, State,
tribal, local, and Mexican law enforcement entities to enhance
security along the Southwest border;
(9) the privacy implications of existing technology and the
acquisition and deployment of new technologies and supporting
infrastructure, with an emphasis on how privacy risks might be
mitigated through the use of technology, training, and policy;
(10) the impact of any ongoing public health emergency that
impacts Department operations along the Southwest border; and
(11) the ability of, and the needs for, the Department to
assist with search and rescue efforts for individuals or groups
that may be in physical danger or in need of medical
assistance.
(e) Classified Form.--To the extent possible, the Secretary shall
submit the technology needs analysis and updates required under this
section in unclassified form, but may submit such documents, or
portions of such documents, in classified form if the Secretary
determines that such action is appropriate.
Calendar No. 625
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4224
[Report No. 116-322]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to assess technology
needs along the Southern border and develop a strategy for bridging
such gaps.
_______________________________________________________________________
December 14, 2020
Reported with an amendment
Southwest Border Security Technology Improvement Act of 2020
#4224 | S Congress #116
Policy Area: Immigration
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovationsAviation and airportsBorder security and unlawful immigrationComputers and information technologyCongressional oversightDepartment of Homeland SecurityDrug trafficking and controlled substancesEmergency medical services and trauma careGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementHuman traffickingIntelligence activities, surveillance, classified informationLatin AmericaLaw enforcement officersMexicoPerformance measurementRight of privacySmuggling and traffickingTechnology assessmentTerrorism
Last Action: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 625. (12/14/2020)
Bill Text Source: Congress.gov
Summary and Impacts
Original Text